JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — Did you know you can go pro in mini-golf? The Mini Golf Championships are coming to East Tennessee in 2022, where mini-golfers can prove themselves against others.
A family-owned course in Jefferson County, Mossy Creek Mini Golf, will be hosting the PGA-equivalent competition.
Squaring up on the green and hitting the putt is something you do with any type of golf, but when it's miniature, being a pro is a big deal. There are some major differences with standard golf, though.
"It's all an even playing field on a miniature golf course," Mossy Creek Mini Golf Owner and Manager Kyle Cutshaw said. "You don't have to hit a ball 300 yards, all you have to do is make the putt."
For pro mini golfers, the jitters are the same at tournaments.
"One of the biggest differences is that this is much different getting 18 in, but the competition is there, the challenge and the stress really," pro mini golfer Matt Finley said.
For professionals like Finley, it's not all fun and games all the time.
"You just have to be serious when all the big dogs are here," Finley said.
He and his family have played at Mossy Creek Mini Golf in Jefferson City long enough for Finley to take a swing at going pro. His first pro tournament was August 29. He won $70.
"These guys are very talented," Cutshaw said. "The amount of work they put in, but they're also just very good putters."
The family-owned mini-golf course along Highway 92 in Jefferson County has only been open since 2018 and the business is already hitting national hole-in-one milestones.
August 29 the course hosted a regional competition, The Tennessee Mini Golf Open.
"The feedback was great, it was a good challenge," Cutshaw said. "I think every hole out here had a hole in one, but it also had a bogey."
But it doesn't stop there, the young course has been chosen as the location for the US Pro Mini Golf Championships.
It's a national competition equivalent to the PGA tour.
"This is the biggest event in the US in terms of miniature golf, so we're thrilled to have that," Cutshaw said. "There are lots of courses that would like that honor, but it's coming here in 2022."
It's a huge accomplishment and is expected to bring in pros from all over the world, not just the day of, but in preparation too.
"They'll be making several trips here to the course to learn," Cutshaw said. "They wanna know exactly which brick to hit, they wanna know which way the ball breaks, so that's why we hosted the Tennessee Open this year and that's why we'll be hosting the Tennessee Open again in 2021."
But just because these greens see pro putters more often doesn't mean there's not still time for families to take a putt.
"You know it's very family-oriented, you know you can bring your 2-year-old or you can bring your best friend and you can compete with the pros at a very high level and just enjoy the day," Finley said.
Keeping score or just having fun, picking up the petite game is always on par.
Anyone who would like to take a swing at Mossy Creek Mini Golf can when they are open, between 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays.